MMO Channel at Bright Hub
I have not had much time to blog lately because all my free writing time has gone into Bright Hub. I was recently asked to become the Managing Editor of the MMO channel there. I was hesitant at first, but my wife encouraged me to take the job so I accepted. We publish 70-90 articles per month from 20-30 different writers.
The MMO Channel used to be basic guides and reviews which was very similar to the information already available at MMO fan sites. I have changed the focus more towards articles with detailed examinations of specific topics, game design, and general industry analysis. So far the response has been extremely positive. Traffic is way up and the writers seem extremely energized. It turns out a lot of the writers were getting pretty tired of churning out generic Guide #762,124 as well. They wanted to do some real research and write about more interesting stuff.
I am still going to blog! But please also look for my work (and the work of my writers) at the Bright Hub MMO channel. Thanks!
I think your change of focus is exactly what people expect from a MMO channel. Something more “expert” than the next WoW guide how to make money or a broad overview of the whole contintent of Northrend. You are quite right to assume that people already know that. That does not necessarily mean that the channel should not contain guides, but talking about future developments and problems of the genre (maybe it is also only my problem, constantly crying for more Ultima Online style games, horizontal progression instead of vertical levelling and so on. What WoW delivers is great for casuals and addicts of the achiever class, but I want more of a “world”).
Maybe one of your writers can do some research who burnt out from WoW and similar games… and “why”, even if the answer is probably highly speculative. But whether it is Keen & Graev, Ixobelle and other blogs, many often welcome the rather crappy Darkfall like a modern Messias. Even Tobold, everyone’s favorite yet very vocal average WoW gamer, admits waiting for new content in WoW. I strongly feel the current state of MMORPG-gaming is not very satisfying for a lot of old, avid MMO players.
The articles could start out with what people HATE about contemporary MMOs. What they LOVE. What they wish and what might be unreasonable (e.g. someone once pointed out, removing levels is not “THE” cure to a lot of problems associated with them). And finally, new ideas for future MMOs, plus taking a look at new MMOs in the making. What do they promise, where are they different, or are they just another copy of the dominating WoW-style DIKU-Mud?
Anyways, take your time. Start articles to rise controversial questions here, gather the results at the MMO channel later, and everyone is content.
http://www.brighthub.com/video-games/mmo/articles/29193.aspx
No, I am not talking about Champions Online. I just cannot link the video for some reason.
The guy in the “related videos” talking about Ultima Online is an example for further analysis. He really loves Ultima Online, but I doubt he manages to communicate the magic to those who do not know the game.
He said a key word, Ultima Online had a massive world, with ships, horses, dungeons… no instances and so on. While modern MMOs are rather shrinking.
That is a positively wonderful idea for an article.
Longasc: Do you have any interest in doing some freelance writing? I think some of your ideas would make for great articles, and who better to write on them than you?
Send me an email at THE_ONE_WORD_NAME_OF_THIS_BLOG @ gmail.com
Longasc is entirely right — I think many of us have graduated (at least in part) from obsessively playing these games to obsessively armchair-designing these games. Everyone has an opinion — and really, in quite a lot of ways armchair designers have a lot to add to the discussion.
Maybe it’s a way to stay hopeful in the face of the Attack of the WoW Clones.
Muckbeast, I am already writing book reviews – in German. My English is not good enough for freelance writing, and I really do not feel like writing articles about MMORPGs. I very much prefer to read various blogs about it and comment them. I would probably have already started a blog if I felt like writing, but at the moment I am pretty much content to read your blog and hopefully provide you with some inspiration.
BTW: Not that I have a precious EverQuest moment to share (I would rather talk about UO and GW!
), but how do people actually “share” their precious EverQuest moments on BrightHub?
http://www.brighthub.com/video-games/mmo/blog/archive/2009/03/19/share-your-everquest-memories.aspx
It is not a blog, and there is no comment option. Do people have to send you a mail? I guess you need to give them a hint how they can actually share their precious moments.
At the end of the article there is a link to the MMO Channel Blog post. Every channel at Bright Hub has a blog as well. In fact, the link you posted *IS* the blog entry. The actual article was written by Adele Caelia, not me.
Now, the downside is to post on the blog there you have to ‘Join’ BH by making an account. One of the suggestions I am going to make for them is to drop that requirement. They have been encouraging MEs to try and incorporate the built in channel blog more to encourage reader feedback. If they want that to happen, I think they’ll have to let people comment through normal blog-ish methods.
I just checked it, as you said: You have to be logged in to see the comment field.
I have no problem that users have to register to post a comment, but I wonder why people who are not logged in cannot see that they actually CAN comment at all.
Many websites give people the ability to comment, and usually tell them “you need to register to comment” once they try to do so.
I think you are right to suggest them to drop the need to register requirement, or at least convince them that they show people who are not registered that there is a commentary function. If people do not see that they can comment at all, they are less likely to register.
I agree with all of that. Right now they probably do not even know they can comment, for the reasons you mentioned. But in the long run, if they actually want readers to comment, they’ll have to allow it without a login. People don’t like signing up for every single web site they visit. I know I sure don’t.